Samsung sets up booths in airports to let you exchange Note 7s before boarding

Samsung has set up booths in airports across the world to give Galaxy Note 7 users that chance to exchange or get a refund for the devices before they board a flight with an airline that has banned the handset.

The booths have opened in South Korea, seven airports in Australia, and are now rolling out in the U.K.'s major terminals, a Samsung spokesperson told CNBC.

Production of Samsung's Note 7 smartphone has halted after several reports of the handset, and its replacement, catching fire. Airlines and authorities globally have moved to ban the device outright on flights. The U.S. Federal Aviation Authorities and Japan's transport ministry ordered a blanket bans on Note 7s on flights. South Korean carrier Asiana also banned the handset, while Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Authority has also prohibited the device being brought on flights to and from the country.

Several Samsung Galaxy Note 7's lay on a counter in plastic bags after they were returned to a Best Buy on September 15, 2016 in Orem, Utah.

George Frey | Getty Images

Over the weekend, Qantas and Virgin Australia also banned the recalled phone on all flights.

Samsung has permanently ended production and sales of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones last week and has been offering users the chance to either get a refund or exchange it for a Galaxy S7 – the company's flagship handset.

It has been sending users push notifications and other messaging to get them to switch. But the latest measure is to ensure that Samsung can stop customers who haven't seen the notices from boarding planes with the banned device and potentially opening themselves up to fines.

In the airports, Samsung is working with retailers for customers with a Note 7 to get an immediate exchange for a S7. In the U.K., Samsung has partnered with electronics store Dixons, for example. Users can also get a refund at the pop-up booths in airports. Samsung representatives at the booths are also helping customers transfer their data over to their new device.

If a user is unable to get and exchange at their departure terminal, then the Samsung team in a person's destination country will be in contact to arrange one.

The Note 7 recall has been one of the toughest periods in Samsung's history and the company said it is going to take a hit of over $5 billion to profit between the third quarter of 2016 to the first quarter of 2017.